SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio ISD is considering closing 19 schools, most of them next year, in a new "rightsizing" plan that would help counter declining enrollment and consolidate resources. See the full list of schools currently set to close here.
The district will make the final decision on Nov. 13 and promised to consider community feedback before that date. Superintendent Jaime Aquino said on YouTube the district's plans, revealed at a board of trustees meeting Monday night, could still change before the vote.
"Please keep in mind that what follows are the staff's initial recommendations. In calling for the study the board wanted to make sure that students, families, and staff would have ample time to help us make the best possible decision," Aquino said. "As we present it, we will enter two months of public deliberation, which will include a round of meetings in the affected neighborhoods."
Community members can find out how the changes will affect their local campuses right now on this SAISD website. There is a list of campuses on the bottom of that page. SAISD said the current plan is to close 19 campuses and spread those students across another 23 campuses.
SAISD criteria for rightsizing are partially based on enrollment numbers and the facility cost per pupil. A middle school, for example, needs to have at least 450 students and a cost-per-pupil under $8,979 according to the framework found here.
San Antonio Alliance President Alejandra Lopez told KENS 5 she hopes to see that framework change to include other historic factors.
"What we are really invested in is a much more robust and complex definition of equity. One that takes into consideration historical inequities and historical divestments from our communities," Lopez said. "I understand that the district wants to have cutoffs when it comes to student enrollment when it comes to building utilization. For us, that only tells us one piece of the picture and the picture is much more detailed than that."
SAISD will hold multiple Community Engagement events before passing the final version of the plan. The first meeting will be Saturday, Sept. 23, at Lowell Middle School (919 Thompson Place, 78226) starting at 10 a.m.
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